Clarifying Your Boundaries at Work Is an Important Way to Combat Burnout
By Liset Verhaar via Unsplash
For a nation that was overworked and burned out well before the pandemic, remote work promised some new freedoms: no more commuting, being surrounded by the comforts of home and wearing sweatpants to meetings.
The reality, though, has been quite different for many people.
The ability to work from home also means blurred boundaries, constant multitasking, and an “office” from which it is hard to separate. Add to that the ongoing stress of the virus and health restrictions that leave our lives more stagnant and isolated, it’s no wonder that American workers experienced heightened rates of burnout in 2021. Nearly 3 in 5 employees reported negative impacts of work-related stress, and an astounding 44% reported physical fatigue — a 38% increase since 2019. Overwork and burnout are still pervasive, whether you’re working on-site or at home.
During the height of the pandemic in the spring of 2020, I took on an increased workload, working with frontline workers with PTSD, while also going through the challenges of the pandemic in my personal life. Without fully realizing it, my work and home life started blurring together, as I was working late hours from home. While I felt the work was of utmost importance, I also found myself feeling more physically and mentally exhausted. This led me to reassess my own boundaries, and create limits on my work hours and time to unwind each night.
Setting healthy boundaries is important in all aspects of our lives, from our personal to our work relationships. There are many factors that contribute to an unboundaried work dynamic. Some factors are outside of ourselves, like competitive workplace culture and demanding expectations. But if you’re noticing that this is a common pattern among various jobs, it may also be related to the expectations you place on yourself – perfectionism, difficulty identifying personal limits and needs, and a lack of well-defined boundaries.
So, how can you create a healthy relationship with work? I’ve listed a few techniques that I recommend to my clients.
Create time to address needs outside of work.
Don’t continue to put off your doctor appointments, buy groceries, or wash your laundry. Often these tasks are the first to go when we feel burned out, but ignoring them can also lead to feeling overwhelmed and run-down. It becomes a vicious cycle. Start by setting small goals – block time in your calendar to do personal errands. Create accountability by writing down what you want to accomplish, and getting in touch with why making these changes are important to you.
Learn your personal signs of burnout.
Preventing burnout is easier than addressing it after the fact. Are you losing patience, skipping lunch, working late, and canceling personal plans? Those can be indicators that you’re not prioritizing yourself. Ask yourself questions like - Do I feel unmotivated, emotionally exhausted, or physically drained? Am I taking on more than I can handle or procrastinating instead of completing work? Am I experiencing mood changes, such as irritability, discontent, or depression? If you answer yes to these questions, you’re likely experiencing burnout.
Prioritize activities and people that bring you joy.
Think how refreshed and energized you feel after a good vacation. While traveling may not be an option for several reasons, apply that principle to your daily life: Find pockets of joy throughout your day that are not work-focused. If going for brief walks in the park fills your cup, ensure that you’re making time to do so a few days a week. Use mindfulness to focus on the moments you enjoy, and pursue the things you value. Making the time will increase your energy and sense of fulfillment that will extend to other areas of your life.
Determine where your limits are.
Boundaries can be identified by the signals that our bodies send us. Tap in to your body and notice what it’s communicating to you – a sense of calm, or discomfort, or tension. These signals can let us know if we are overstepping our boundaries or feeling comfortable. Try journaling about work limits that you would have in an ideal world. Maybe it's taking an hour-long lunch break and not eating in front of your computer, ensuring you clock out by 5:30 p.m. every day, and not talking about work after 6 p.m.
While change can be difficult, start by creating boundaries on a small level. Verbally express to your team or manager what you need in order to feel more balanced and energized, and to ensure you hold yourself accountable.
Ask yourself what you can handle.
Are you taking on too much responsibility because you want to impress others, to prevent conflict, or avoid disappointment? It can be hard to say no, and this may cause you to stray from what matters to you. Sometimes we promise a project can be done in a shorter time frame just to impress our managers. Ask yourself honestly what you are capable of doing, not what you wish you were capable of doing. Being honest with yourself can build self-worth.
Use mindfulness to pause before saying “yes”.
Sometimes we can reflexively give in to requests even though we have a lot on our plate. Rather than just reacting, slow down, pause, and observe how you feel. Ask yourself whether you have the capacity to take on more. Use mindfulness to check in with yourself and what you are feeling before agreeing.
If you’re not sure in the moment, respond to requests by stating "I would like to help, but let me consider my current workload and get back to you." Check-in with yourself. If this request is more than you can handle, respond with, “I have a lot I’m managing right now, can you ask someone else?” or “I would love to help when I complete my current projects.” Mindfulness allows you to be more in tune with your needs, which increases your ability to communicate effectively.
These techniques are not learned or implemented overnight – they require practice. We need to show ourselves the grace that we show others and learn to build a healthy work-life balance. If we all accomplished this on an individual level, we would build a more sustainable and fulfilling work environment.